Popular food pairings that can ruin your health

There are certain foods that we inadvertently combine without sparing a thought, for instance, sandwiches and coffee, banana and milk and yoghurt with fruits. But did you know these food pairings could wreak havoc to your digestive system? Here’s what you should avoid and why.

Sandwiches and coffeeGrilled cheese sandwich and a cup of instant coffee is probably what you have been having for breakfast almost every day. The problem here is that the simple carbs in bread hinder calcium absorption. And also, starch and calcium require different set of enzymes to be absorbed by the body. When eaten together your body is forced to digest proteins and not starch. Adding instant coffee to the combination doesn’t add any benefits but is likely to disturb the acid levels in the body.

Oatmeal and fruit juiceThis again is an all-time favourite breakfast combination. However, the acids in fruit juice tends to destroy the enzyme responsible for digesting the starches present in oatmeal.

Banana and milkIf you can’t get about your day without a banana smoothie, then you should know that Ayurveda lists this as a toxin-forming combination that slows down the mind and makes the digestive system sluggish. Add cardamom and nutmeg powder to it, to trigger digestion.

Tomatoes and cucumberSalads are incomplete without tomatoes and cucumber. Tomatoes that belong to the nightshade family take time to be digested unlike cucumber. When the two are eaten together, cucumber ends up staying in digestive track a tad longer and gets fermented, which causes, swelling and discomfort. This also prevents the body from absorbing vitamins from the food.

Yoghurt and fresh fruitsSour fruits tend to slow down the digestive system and Ayurveda advises against pairing them with yoghurt as this results in creation of toxins, sinus congestions and cough.

Beer and nutsSalted peanuts are usually served along with beer and we have happily munched on to them while guzzling the latter. And if you have always craved for a second pint of beer, then it’s because of the salty peanuts. The high sodium content in peanuts causes dehydration and thereby increases the urge to repeat the drink.

Potato and meatNone of us can imagine a chicken burger without French fries. However, the starch in potatoes and the protein in meat need different types of digestive fluids to be broken down. When you combine the two, they sit in the intestine for longer causing belching, hear burn and bloating.